


got a feeling this year's for me and you

by anemicaxolotl



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Christmas, M/M, is sad fluff a tag?, that's it that's the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:29:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28280919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anemicaxolotl/pseuds/anemicaxolotl
Summary: Troy and Abed take a walk through town at Christmastime.
Relationships: Troy Barnes/Abed Nadir
Comments: 10
Kudos: 52





	got a feeling this year's for me and you

**Author's Note:**

> *Abed voice* sad, quick Christmas fic...

“That’s my friend Dominic’s house.”

”Which one, the blue one?”

”Yeah, with the reindeer on the lawn.”

Troy pauses in front of the house in question, and Abed’s eyes scan the scene. He tries to imagine a young Troy playing football in the wide front yard, or climbing the tree on the side of the house, maybe running up the front porch after school with his backpack bouncing on his shoulders. 

“Does he still live in town?” Abed asks around the candy cane hanging out of his mouth.

Troy shakes his head. “Nah, he’s playing football at Clemson. I don’t know if he comes home for the holidays anymore, or...”

He trails off and continues down the sidewalk, Abed keeping pace beside him. 

Troy’s old neighborhood is vibrant with holiday energy. Every other house is adorned with string lights, glistening rooftop icicles, plastic lawn Santas and inflatable snowmen. It’s the reason he and Abed are out tonight in the cold, shoulders bumping together as they huddle close for warmth. Troy had gotten sick of not-celebrating not-Christmas Eve with his family, and Abed's evening had been pretty depressing, with his dad working late and his house empty. The typical lack of Christmas decorations bothered him more than usual this year, and once he mentioned that to Troy, meeting up to go for a walk together had been a no-brainer. 

Gloves probably would have been a good idea, though, Abed realizes as he crams a hand into his coat pocket. His other hand is still hanging on to his candy cane, so it's growing both cold and sticky with every house they pass. Troy forgot gloves, too, though he at least had the foresight to wear a ski cap. Abed assumes from the colors that it's a remnant from his days at Riverside High. He tries not to stare at the purple pom-pom on top of Troy's head, because it's incredibly adorable and if he thinks about _that_ for too long, he'll probably end up saying something stupid, and he doesn't want to ruin this night.

It's weird seeing Troy's past through his eyes, Abed thinks. As they walk he points out his old teachers' houses, the corner where he fell off his bike and skinned his knee, the house where his very first crush (a brown-eyed girl named Lila) used to live. Abed has approximately one million questions he wants to ask Troy, but he keeps quiet for now, taking in everything Troy's saying and filing it away for future use. No detail about Troy's past is too small, in his opinion, if it all adds up to the person he is today, walking beside Abed and knocking their elbows together every few steps. 

Abed does wonder, though, if it was lonely for Troy, growing up in this neighborhood where Christmas illuminated every block. If it was hard to hear his classmates talk about Santa and presents, if little Troy pressed his face to the window to watch his neighbors stringing up lights year after year and knowing his house would never look like that. He wonders if it's the same feeling he used to get in elementary school on Valentine's Day, when everyone's desk was piled high with cards and candies and Abed's remained mostly empty. 

Or maybe it never bothered Troy at all. Maybe he was used to his family's customs, their own traditions, and was happy. 

Abed's so lost in this train of thought he walks right into Troy, who has paused in front of a small ranch-style house on the edge of a cul-de-sac. "Sorry," he says, but Troy doesn't seem to hear him. 

"This was my Uncle Carl's house," he says quietly, then shakes his head. "He was a Jehovah's Witness, too, so...this is so weird."

Abed sees it now: the wreath on the door, the massive tree looming in the picture window, decked with twinkling lights and a bright star glimmering on the highest bough. It's a lovely scene, straight out of a Hallmark movie, and Troy probably finds the whole thing jarring and awful. He's staring at the house with an expression Abed can't read, kicking a loose rock at the end of the driveway. 

"Did he know you were playing football again at Greendale?" Abed finally asks, because he can't think of anything else to say and he needs to try something, anything to change Troy's face into something he can understand, so he can help.

Luckily, the question makes Troy smile. "Yeah," he says, turning to Abed. "He was really happy about it."

Abed smiles back, and Troy's grows wider in return. Abed is warmed by its glow, as always, even though it's still freezing out and his hand is getting colder by the minute. 

He finishes his candy cane and rubs his hands together briskly, shifting from one foot to the other. He keeps quiet, though, and lets Troy take his time staring at the house. After a few moments, he turns back to Abed, a crease between his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry I dragged you out here and then just got all sad," he says with a sigh. "That, uh...that wasn't my goal for tonight."

"It's okay," Abed says, wondering what the real goal was. 

He doesn't get a chance to ask, as Troy steps forward and looks up at him. "Should we head home now?"

Despite the chill, despite the shift in tone, Abed wants to say no so this night doesn't have to end yet, but he nods. He turns to head back the way they came, but pauses, turning back to Troy and tilting his head, considering.

Troy frowns again, but it looks confused this time, not sad. "Abed-"

Before he can finish, Abed reaches out with one hand (the one that's not sticky from his candy cane) and grabs onto one of Troy's. He turns around again and starts to walk, keeping his eyes on the ground ahead of him so he doesn't have to face whatever expression Troy's wearing now.

But as they walk, he feels Troy's fingers tighten around his own, and it makes him smile.

**Author's Note:**

> *Great British Bake Off voice* Went for a drive to look at Christmas lights, came home and couldn't sleep, bon appetit.
> 
> Merry Christmas Eve to those who celebrate, and if you don't, I hope you have a lovely weekend <3


End file.
